Reason First: Salute Chuck Foster- The James Huberty Murders

A former welder, undertaker, and security guard devoted his time to destruction.

He had it in his mind to mow down as many people as he could. His name was James Huberty. In a San Diego, California McDonald’s restaurant, Huberty opened fire and killed 21 people and wounded another 20 others.

All of the irrationality and viciousness exhibited by the shooter led to the bloody aftermath. With enough armament and rounds to go against the Vietcong, which is interesting because Huberty kept saying that he returned to the States from Vietnam, he carried out the murders. He never served.

His way of dealing with reality was through destruction. He allegedly found no better way to cope with his distorted view of living without opening fire on innocents.

On July 18, 1984, Huberty just felt in his spirit that he had to silence as many people as he could. His actions spoke to the idea that he could be a God like figure. While there is no unknown or unknowable, Huberty felt undeterred from his mission to do the work that would normally be reserved for a deity.

His mind had been focused on making as many people suffer and die. He took the tools of death and destruction and said, “Society’s had its chance. I’m going hunting. Hunting humans.” He turned to his wife and said this. She expected this to be incredulous. Then he went on his spree. Indiscriminately, he cut down anyone from eight-month-old Carlos Reyes to 74-year-old Miguel Victoria-Ulloa. The horrific event had feelings all over it.

One of the only thinking minds after 77 minutes of shooting, resided in the head of SWAT sniper Chuck Foster who stopped Huberty’s madness with a single round to the chest.

Sure the terror had ceased, but the messy scene still remained. And the ugly soul of Huberty had been taken out but the idea of why he started his act of force remained. The real name that ought to be remembered is Foster. For his heroics in preserving lives that could have been further extinguished at the hands of Huberty, he deserved the utmost honor and respect.

But the books have to be written about the sources of the mayhem. The beautiful souls like Foster get a short mention as the monsters like Huberty receive the most ink. Huberty did nothing constructive or productive. He tore down lives. He destroyed and disrupted a peaceful day at a fast food restaurant.

At that point in 1984 this shooting stood as the deadliest by a lone gunman in American history. Foster detailed what it was like placing himself on a roof adjacent to the restaurant. He disclosed how his single shot to Hubert’s chest ended the whole ordeal. He stated that he wanted to “get a good bead” on Huberty. He had to methodically wait for the precise time to send the round into Huberty.

It is with the heroes like Foster that the publishers ought to spill the most ink, though. Without the selfish, brave souls who work for SWAT and other governmental groups that neutralize threats we would be at the mercy of deranged murderers like Huberty.

The only way to continue in a society where crimes like this have spiked in recent years but are still extremely rare is to promote the police. To continue to not just fund the police but cooperate with them and aid them is key. If it were not for the men and women like Foster, killers like Huberty would just roam the roads and businesses creating hysteria.

It is with these beautiful souls known as COPS (Citizens on Patrol) that we can be protected from the onslaught of vicious figures.